Self-locking pliers with crossed handles



1943-v w. A. SHARP SELF-LOCKING -PLIER WITH CROSSED HANDLES Filed June 7, 1944 INVENTOR. W2; /AM A. SHAEF;

ATT NEY.

I Patented Nov. 2, I948 "em-re nismes sjELF-Loox NG William A. sharp,

rLmaslwirnoitosssn ,HANDLE'ST I v National City, Calif., assignor to Solar Aircraft Company, San Diego, Calif;

a corporation of California Application June *1, 1944, Serial No. 539,145

2 Claims. 01. 81-46) This invention relates to clamping pliers such as are used to clamp parts together while they are being permanently secured to each other as by bolting or welding, and a general object of the invention is to increase the ease of manipulation of such pliers.

A more specific object is .to provide a clamping plier that is more easily released out of clamping position. I

Clamping pliers of the type to which this invention relates include a toggle mechanism interposed between the jaws and the handles, so that when the handles are squeezed together to clamp the jaws against the work, the toggle mechanism moves into an over-center position which prevents retraction of the jaws when the handles are released, although the jaws can be retracted at any time by forceably spreading the handles apart.

A serious disadvantageof prior clamping pliers with which I am familiar is that it is not easy to supply the handle-separating force with one hand, and the workmen often find it necessary to use both hands to pull the handles apart. This slows up the work materially in many situations where the workman would normally be using one hand to perform some other operation.

In accordance with the present invention I provide clamping pliers that can always be easily released by simply extending and crossing the outer ends of the handles so that squeezing the extended ends together separates the main portions of the handles and releases the jaws.

A full understanding of the invention may be had from the following detailed description of the particular embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing.

The single figure of the drawing is a side view of a clamping plier shown in clamping engagement with a pair of sheet members which are being held together with the plier.

The plier comprises a pair of jaws l and 2, respectively, which are hinged together by a pin 3 for opening and closing movement, which opening and closing movement is effected by a pair of handles 4 and 5, respectively.

The handles are pivoted to each other by a pivot pin 6. In addition, the handle 4 is pivotally connected to the jaw l by a pin 1, and the handle 5 is pivotally connected to the jaw 2 by a pin 8. The three pins are so located that just as the handles move into fully closed position, the axis of pin 6 moves past the line extending from the tends to keep the handles closed instead of spreading them apart.

It is necessary that the work be tightly clamped I when the handles are in fully closedposition,

and to this end the jaw I is provided with a screw 9, the head of which engages the work and presses it directly against the other jaw 2. A lock nut I0 is provided to retain the screw 9 in a desired position of adjustment. In the drawing the plier is shown gripping a pair of work sheets II 'and I2 together.

As so far described, the plier is in accordance with prior practice, in which the handles 4 and 5 have gripping portions l3 and 14 for engagement by the hand of the operator to squeeze the handles together.

In. accordance with the present invention, I

simply extend the handles beyond the portions [3 and I4 thereof, to form additional portions l5 and i6, respectively, which crosseach other when the plier is closed, so that squeezing the portions 15 and I6 together opens the jaws. The great advantage of this arrangement is that it is very easy to squeeze the portions [5 and IE together with one hand, whereas it is relatively difiicult to separate the handle portions land 14 with one hand. i

The handle portions l5 and [6 are, of course, so constructed that they can pass each other, since they must do so to permit the jaws to fully open.

Various departures from the exact construction. shown can be made without departing from the invention which is to be limited only to the extent set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A self-locking plier comprising; a pair of jaw members and means hingedly connecting them together for opening and closing movement; a pairof handles and means connecting them to each other for swinging movement between open and closed positions; means coupling said handles to said jaw members for closing the jaw members in response to squeezing. of said handles together, said means being soflconstructed and arranged that squeezing of said handles together into a predetermined position locks the handles against opening movement by an opening force applied to said jaw members;

To release the prior clamps with one hand, it was necessary. to grip one of the porand said handles havin extensions thereon constituting auxiliary hand grips, said extensions being of shape such that they cross each other and separate when said handles are squeezed together into said predetermined position, whereby said handles can be moved out of fully closed position and unlocked by squeezing said hand grips together.

2. A plier according to claim 1 in which said handles are spaced apart approximately the same distance that the auxiliary hand grips are, when said handles are in said predetermined position.

WILLIAM A. SHARP.

file of this patent:

Number Number Great Britain June 24, 1926 

